Now That I'm With You
by waterangelphoenix
Summary: The sequel of To Be With You. Having been married for a year, Ash, Misty, and Pikachu set off on a journey to the famous Sophian Island in order to complete a secret mission given to them by Lance. However, they will come to find out that this task is a bit harder than it seems...especially when they have two evil organizations breathing down their necks.
1. Seeing A Familiar Face

**Oh my goodness it feels so good to be back! My long awaited return! Ok it might not have been long awaited for you but it was for me because I have missed writing so much! Unlike my first story there are a lot of things to say about this sequel. For one, it's still a work in progress. That means your opinions could have an effect on a future chapter! So read, comment, message, and do whatever you have to do if you want to make a difference! I'm also writing other stories at the same time as this one and I'm still in school so...updates might be few but don't give up I will write again. Anyway enough of my blabbering! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Seeing a Familiar Face

A man stood on the deck of his ship, his short green hair blowing in the breeze. He adjusted his long black coat, tying the strap near his neck and buttoning a few of the top buttons. He sighed a little as he leaned over the railing, looking at the calm sea before him. He inhaled deeply, letting the fresh sea air enter his lungs, then exhaled and closed his eyes to reach his peaceful state.

"Oh how long has it been, since I have traveled the open sea?"

Minutes later one of the man's henchmen came out and stood a few feet behind him, ready to unveil some important news. "Sir, we will reach our headquarters shortly. Is there anything you wish for us to do?"

The man smiled, but kept his body turned toward the water. "Prepare for our arrival of course. And prepare for our takeover phase one."

"Yes sir!" With that the servant went back to his place inside, leaving his master alone once again. The man sighed again, this time with a bit of annoyance, but continued to smile.

_It's only a matter of time now,_ he thought to himself, _before all that I had accomplished will be mine once again._

* * *

Ash, Misty, and Pikachu, continuing on their journey, are taking a cruise ship that is set to take them to Sophian Island.

"Oh isn't this exciting Ash!" Misty exclaimed as she looked across the water. "Soon we will be in the Aqua Resort and we will see all kinds of cool water pokemon! Ah, it's like a water master's dream…" She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, enjoying the cool air on her face and the fresh smell of ocean water.

Ash laughed, "Yeah I can't wait either! I wonder what kind of pokemon we going to see." Pikachu sighed happily in agreement.

After waiting in anticipation for an hour or so they finally arrived at the port of the large island, however it was already late and the sun was going down.

"Oh look at that sunset," Misty said. "It's beautiful here!" She spun around in a circle laughing. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Hey remember, Mist, let's not have too much fun we're on a mission remember?" Ash touched her shoulder.

"Right, right," Misty agreed. "Come on let's go to the hotel and check in. I bet it's just as beautiful as this town."

Misty's views were confirmed as they reached the hotel. It was tall, beautiful, and luxurious with a large lobby area that had a fountain and a small angel statue. It was also filled with plants and decorations, three TVs that spanned the western side of the area, with many couches and chairs that were already occupied with people. There was also a white grand piano that was on automatic and played a soft whispering tune. The floor was set in beautiful white tiles that featured every water pokemon that could be thought of in each square.

"I was right, it is lovely here!" she began to laugh, bouncing in place while holding on to Ash's arm.

"Misty calm down a bit," he laughed, "You act like you've never been in a fancy hotel before."

"Hey Ash, news flash I've _never _been in a fancy hotel! We should really thank Lance for paying for our stay here once we get back home," she suggested.

"Yeah, you're right, that's if we ever complete this 'thing' we've been assigned to…"

"Oh Ash, have some confidence! We can do anything when we try our hardest!" Misty hugged him and began to walk to the front counter. "You wait here, and I'll go get our keys ok? You want to come with me, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" the little electric rodent jumped off of Ash's shoulder and onto Misty's.

"Try not to miss us too much, honey!" Misty did a little wave as she walked away.

Ash smiled. He was excited that he would be able to treat Misty with a fancy vacation they way she always wanted, but he knew this was more than just a small get away. He didn't tell his mother or Professor Oak about the seriousness of this trip, Misty knew however, but it seemed like she wasn't taking it quite seriously—at least not yet. This was the first assignment given to him by Lance himself, and he wanted to do well, but having Misty involved wasn't exactly his idea.

~*~**Three weeks ago…**~*~

"Ash, I'm sorry to call you here so urgently like this, but I'm afraid I have a situation that I need your help on."

Ash was sitting in Lance's private office, a place that Ash never thought he would see. Besides for a few bookshelves that were halfway filled with books the office seemed very roomy. His desk was right next to the window that happened to overlook all of Viridian City. There was also carpet on the floor, and although Ash knew all about static electricity, he was so nervous he couldn't help but rub his feet on the floor. He figured it was alright sense his shoes were made out of rubber.

"A situation? What is it?" he asked.

"Well, there's a certain legendary pokemon that is being targeted. I would go and investigate the case myself, unfortunately the other Elite Four members and I are all tied up at the moment," he sighed in frustration wishing he could do this on his own. Even he felt it was too dangerous for Ash to be involved in.

"A-a legendary? Which one? What's happening to it?"

"Slow down, Ash," Lance interrupted, "Let me explain. You see we have been doing research on this legendary for quite some time, and we have confirmed that it has been seen on Sophian Island. This pokemon is very elusive, but even the likes of Team Aqua have caught onto its location."

"Team Aqua?! But I thought they were gone, along with Team Magma!"

"That's true," Lance sighed again, "We all thought they had disappeared, but unfortunately that was only a rumor to keep us from looking for them. About a year ago the rumor had spread that a few Team Aqua members were meeting in a secret location, and ever since then we have been on their trail, even though it's been hard to track them down until now."

"So you think they're on Sophian Island?" Ash asked again.

"Only to find the legendary that they are after—the legendary water-type pokemon known as Suicune."

"Suicune?!" Ash repeated. "B-but isn't that a pokemon from the Johto region? And isn't it found up north? Why is it all the way down here?"

"We have reason to believe that Suicune had no choice but to go there to escape from Team Aqua. Who knows what they will use that pokemon for if they capture it…"

"We can't let that happen, Lance! Don't worry, I'll be sure to stop Team Aqua in their tracks!" Ash stood up with fire in his eyes and burning determination in his heart. He would have walked out the door right then and there if Lance hadn't stopped him.

"Well, I'm afraid there's one more thing I would have to explain to you, and this is the hardest part."

"What is it?"

"I, I mean we, have decided to also ask your wife to accompany you on this mission."

"M-my wife? You mean Misty?"

"She is your only wife isn't she?"

Ash stood there in shock, unable to comprehend why Misty had to come. "B-but—"

"Listen Ash, it's not that the others and I don't have faith in you, it's just that we don't think you should do this alone. Besides, Suicune is a water type and Misty is a water type trainer…"

"But I can handle this on my own! I don't see why Misty has to get involved!" Ash protested.

"You're right, I would rather that I was involved instead of you and her, but Lorelei insisted that she would ask her separately. I feel bad for doing this, if I had a choice I wouldn't, but we all agreed that you would need help and we decided the best person to help you would be her. However just like you she must make that decision on her own. If she does decide to come along, and you think things may get to serious, both of you can come home at any time. We won't judge you for wanting to save the lives of you and your wife. But we do want that pokemon captured, or at least taken safe away from Team Aqua so they won't get their hands on it. I'm sorry to do this to you Ash, but you don't have to accept if you don't want to."

Ash sighed. He somehow knew without a doubt that Misty would accept this offer, and he couldn't just let her go alone.

"I'm still in. Don't worry, Lance, we won't let you down."

He couldn't help but have a bad feeling that this wasn't any ordinary mission to be solved easily. After all, Suicune is no ordinary pokemon.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Well, I guess since this _is _a paid vacation, we might as well make the most of it," Ash whispered under his breath.

"Hey Ash! You wouldn't believe who's here!" Ash heard Misty yell to him. Ash looked to see a familiar face along with Misty. A tall, slim woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a bright yellow sleeveless shirt decorated with blue flowers, and long brown shorts that stopped short of her knees. She had on sandals, brown shoes with straps that wrapped around her ankles that made her seem like a gladiator. But it was her warm smile and blue eyes that Ash instantly remembered.

"Hey it's Dahlia!" Ash ran over to them. "How are things?"

Dahlia smiled softly. "Everything is great Ash! Blake and I are just here for a bit of a vacation before he resumes his champion duties. I assume you both are here for that as well?"

Misty nodded. "Yep! There's nothing like being right beside water pokemon all day and being in the water next to them," she sighed happily.

"You remind me so much of Blake," Dahlia laughed. "He was just telling me how he would love to live and die next to the ocean, me and his water pokemon. He's such a fanatic."

"I know the feeling, trust me I go through the same every day with this one," Ash joked.

"I can't help it water is the core of my soul!" Misty said happily.

"Well you both have definitely come to the right place. The Aqua Resort is filled with water pokemon! The pokemon and people here have been living in harmony for centuries, and I'm pretty sure that nothing will ever tear the bond between a person living here and the water pokemon beside him. It's what I love most about this place, everyone here is so friendly and warm."

"Hey Dahlia where's Blake? Is he training?" Ash asked.

"Hmm…actually he's in his room sleeping. Hey, maybe we should all get together one day! We're leaving next week, but I'm sure we'll see each other again before then," she suggested.

"You're right! We should all get together, a double dinner date by the sea would be so awesome!" Misty exclaimed.

"That sounds like a great idea, but Pikachu will have to come with us, we can't just leave him alone—right buddy?" Ash turned to his faithful yellow companion.

Pikachu said his name happily and jumped back onto Ash's shoulder.

"Ha ha ha, of course! The more the merrier we love to have you all come with us to dinner, and besides the restaurants here is amazing, however most places here do serve seafood, Misty," she pointed this comment directly in her direction, figuring just like her husband, she wouldn't want to eat fish unless she had no other choice.

Misty cringed at the thought of eating fish but nodded nevertheless.

"Great!" Dahlia continued, "I can't wait! You two better have plenty of fun here, and we will all be able to catch up soon. See you guys!"

Ash and Misty waved to her as she walked off.

"Wow what a coincidence that we ran into Dahlia here!" Misty said excitedly. "See, I knew it was a great idea to come here!"

Ash smiled and looked at her. "Maybe you're right. Come on, let's go see our room."

"Pika Pikachu!" (Let's go!)

"See, Pikachu is excited too, aren't you Pika pal?" Misty asked.

They all laughed as Pikachu nodded in approval. Little did they know that as they were heading towards their room a pair of eyes had been watching them the entire time.

He spoke from behind a plant in the lobby to one of his superiors using a transceiver attached to a watch. "Sir, I have evidence of their arrival. The master and his wife were seen talking with target number 002."

"Excellent. Do they suspect anything?" The superior asked.

"No sir, everything is as it seems."

"Very good. Keep an eye on them and wait for my signal."

"Yes sir."


	2. Chapter 2: Having Fun

Happy Halloween everyone! Here's another chapter for you. I forgot to mention that the first couple of chapters is kind of fluffy but that's only to set the story. Don't worry I'll try to make it more exciting. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2: Having Fun**

Misty was even more pleased by the sight she received when she entered the hotel room. "Oh my gosh, Ash this is amazing!" Misty looked in awe as she stepped in the room. The room was in short words huge and spectacular, with enough room to have at least two other people stay with them. The room was in fact a suite—that included a large bedroom and bathroom, a living room with large sliding windows, and a small area that contained a washer and dryer. The walls were decorated with the same gold and white wallpaper as the lobby and the halls, and had the same white carpet. The living room was the first room that would be walked into as soon as the doors were opened, and Ash seemed to mechanically walk over to the wide brown couch and sit down in front of the large flat screen TV.

Misty on the other hand, was naturally curious and opened the sliding doors that led to the balcony. As she went out she couldn't help but be awed again by the view. A few buildings lead up to a small bridge that connected the two sides of a walkway. Under the bridge was a river that led right to the ocean, and also to the community square that was only a few blocks away from the beach. Misty could see nothing but water and sky as the horizon line. She was amazed by the sparkling lights of the houses and restaurants and leaned over a bit to fully take in the sights and sounds of people walking around to their destinations.

"Oh it smells so good out here! Who wouldn't love this fresh sea air? Ash come here and see this great view!" Misty shouted.

"I'm already here," Ash said from beside her. Misty jumped a little, not knowing that her husband was to her right all this time.

"A little warning would have been nice, you startled me!" Misty playfully smacked Ash on the shoulder with the back of her hand. Ash chuckled.

"A true warrior knows how to sneak up on his opponents, and we got you good didn't we Pikachu?"

"Pika!" The little rodent replied diligently from his trainer's shoulder. Misty rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Hey doesn't this place kind of remind you of Alto Mare?" she asked.

"Alto Mare? Oh you mean when met Latios and Latias! Yeah it kind of does, but I think that island was a bit smaller compared to this one," Ash said as he looked around a bit more.

"You think so?"

"Yeah, because Alto Mare doesn't have a mountain," Ash answered.

"Yeah, you're right," Misty agreed as she leaned forward on the metal gate with her arms, "I guess having a mountain does change things."

"So, what should we do now? Unpack?" Ash asked.

"Actually, I want to have some fun. Not every day you get to go to such a beautiful place, and I want to see the sights before we get down to business," Misty answered, beginning to bounce in place again.

Ash laughed. "You're such a kid, but you're right. All right then, this night shall be all for you my dear. Name a place and no matter how boring it is I will suck it up and go with you."

Misty turned to look at him and narrowed her eyes into slits. "Gee, thanks aren't you the perfect gentleman," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well it's true," he replied, laughter shining in his eyes, "Good thing it's night so you can't drag me to a clothing store or something."

Misty folded her arms and turned away. "Well tonight, my dear boys, I shall show you that women aren't just about shopping for pretty little dresses." She turned back to them with a crafty smile. "Although you seem to love my short skirts, I'm going to completely focus on having fun." As she skipped back in the room Pikachu jumped on her shoulder and Ash followed, a bit wary of how much this fun of hers was going to cost by the end of the night.

As Ash, Misty and Pikachu were heading out for the night, another pair of eyes were watching them from the alley next to the hotel. His dark clothes matched perfectly with the shadows of the night, and through his dark sunglasses his brown eyes squinted at Pikachu's bright yellow coat of fur. He spoke softly into an earpiece that was attached to him. "Sir, I have confirmed sight of the targets leaving the hotel. Do you wish for me to follow them sir?"

Finally amidst the static a voice answered that belonged to his superior, "Negative. Our boss is not concerned with them at this time. Just keep your eyes on targets 001 and 002. If they leave the hotel maintain surveillance on them."

Curiosity finally got the best of the young rookie as he began to speak his mind, "If I may ask sir, why was I told to watch the master and his wife as well? You don't think they would interfere with our plans do you?"

The superior grunted, his frustration rising, "You are to follow your orders and not ask questions. But since you asked the master and his wife will prove beneficial to us in the future of our operation. Since they were already confirmed to have contact with our targets this proves that all know each other, which means that our plan would work perfectly in the long run."

The young evil trainer nodded. "I understand sir."

"Then if you understand continue to follow your orders. Questions will only make you confused."

"Yes sir," he answered.

* * *

Meanwhile, on a distant island, someone was far from all the fun and relaxation. She adjusted her glasses as she landed by parachute on her target island, hugging her long brown coat close to her as she hid behind some nearby rocks. It was a bit far off for her idea of a vacation, too cold and secluded, but she accepted the idea of a real challenge nevertheless. She gazed her eyes upon the cold choppy water. Deciding that it was best to report her findings, she brought up her pokegear close to her.

"Lance, it's me. I have arrived on Ice Island. Are you there?"

The screen was fuzzy and clouded with static until a spiky red-haired man appeared, his eyes brimming with tiredness, his hand in front of his mouth to cover up a yawn. "I'm surprised you made it so late, Lorelei, hope the cold hasn't made you too sleepy," he yawned again.

Lorelei rolled her eyes, a bit jealous over the fact that Lance got to sleep while she was stuck out in the cold. "Don't worry about me, Lance. I'm looking around but I don't see much sign of life, except maybe a few ice type pokemon."

"Well don't let down your guard yet. I doubt that a pokemon like Articuno would actually still be around, considering it was targeted nearly ten years ago on the very island, but it still could be there and willing to defend its territory so you must be careful," the dragon trainer warned.

The young woman agreed. "Yes, and if Articuno really is still here then we must protect it from Team Aqua and the like at all costs! I won't let such a strong graceful pokemon fall into their hands!"

Lance smiled tiredly, lifting himself from his bed sheets. He gave his friend a stern and concerned look. "Listen Lorelei, I'm sure I'm asking a lot of you, just like Ash and Misty, but I do want you to be careful and if anything happens—"

"I know, I know, like I said you shouldn't worry about me," the icy woman stated. Her glasses sparkled due to the brightness of the white snow, flashing her blue eyes for a second. "However I am worried about Ash and Misty. Have they also arrived at their destination?"

"Yes they have," Lance answered. "I told them to relax and lay a bit low for now. I'm sure a pokemon master and his gym leader wife would bring a lot of attention."

"Yes, I agree, but they are in a far worse place than I am. I fear for their safety, and since this is their first mission…"

"Just take care of you, Lorelei, and be safe. Let me worry about Ash and Misty and you look out for Articuno or anyone else," Lance interrupted.

"Hmph," she snorted. "Fine. Just tell me if they need my help and I will be there in a heartbeat. I shall report in later on." The call had ended and the icy trainer sighed as she put her pokegear in her jacket pocket. She looked to the dark sky, with a slight frown on her face.

Lance ended up doing the same thing from his apartment window, although in much warmer conditions. "That Lorelei," he sighed. "She acts like such a prima donna." He stretched his arms from the small balcony where he was standing. "Oh well, at least I don't have to worry about her too much."

* * *

Ash was filled with awe and excitement. His mouth watered, his tongue tingled, and his eyes bulged. He looked to his wife, a satisfying look shining brightly on her face. "See, I'm not just all about dresses."

She giggled as she saw Ash and Pikachu's large smiles. "Well don't just stand there, get a plate! After all this is an all-you-can-eat buffet, and it's all paid by me! You can thank me later."

"Yahoo! Let's chow down Pikachu!" Ash yelled triumphantly. Pikachu jumped on his shoulder from his place in Misty's arms and was eager to see what his trainer would choose for dinner, although he was more interested in getting his favorite package of ketchup.

Misty sighed and shook her head. "My little children…" She laughed to herself as she grabbed a plate. After walking around town and going to the movie theater to see a movie, Misty was fortunate enough to find a restaurant a few blocks down the street, which happened to be an all-you-can-eat buffet. Misty casually grabbed a plate and a few items, that didn't include fish, and finally found Ash and Pikachu at a table by the window.

"Misty, over here!" Ash shouted.

Misty blushed, since Ash's loud voice nearly caused everyone to look at her, and walked over to her seat next to Pikachu. "Why did you have to shout so loud, and why are there so many plates? Are you seriously going to eat all this food—there has to be at least twenty dishes here!"

Ash bit happily into a cheeseburger. "I got a bit excited. All this food is soooooo good. Have you tried the chocolate cake? Here try these pinnapples they are so sweet! The popcorn chicken is good too did you get it?"

"Ash!" Misty huffed. After a bit of silence she spoke again. "You're going to make me fat."

"Aw come on Mist, live a little! You only have a body once so why not eat everything you can while you're young?"

Pikachu giggled, licking his ketchup off of a piece of chicken. Misty smiled to herself as she watched Ash continue to eat his lavish dinner.

_To be honest, he's been on edge ever since he's been asked to do this little mission for Lance. I guess I can't blame him, after all this is the first time we've been asked to do something this important and dangerous for an elite four member. Of course Ash is nervous, he wants to do well._

Misty was cut off from her thoughts as she heard a muffled cry from Pikachu. "Pika Pikachu pipika!"

Ash and Misty followed Pikachu's pointed paw to a tall brown-haired woman trying to juggle three plates in her hands. "Hey it's Dahlia!" Ash jumped up to grab a plate for her and invited her to their table. Misty happily waved their older female friend as she sat down.

"Hello Misty, hi Pikachu!" she exclaimed. "Fancy meeting you guys here, huh?"

"Dahlia, it's great to see you!" Misty said happily. "I see you have quite the dinner as well?" She pointed to her three plates in front of her.

Dahlia nodded, a bit over enthusiastic. "I love food! This is my favorite place to eat!" She picked up her chopsticks and began to dig into a big bowl of noodles. "I took Blake here so many times he got bored to death!"

"Is Blake here?" Ash asked, looking around excitedly. "I don't see him."

Dahlia let her head fall a bit. "He's not here…he was a bit tired from all his training today, so I'm venturing off on my own tonight!"

Misty frowned. "Oh Dahlia you should have told us, we could have all went to the movies together! I hate to see you here alone…"

Dahlia flashed a bright smile. "Don't worry about a thing Misty! Sometimes a girl just needs her space you know? It gets cramped in that little hotel room and you just need to get out and have a good time! I've been around a lot so I know just how to do it too."

Misty didn't look convinced by this, but shrugged and looked for Ash to change the subject. Sure enough, he did.

"Wow Dahlia, those noodles look really good! I bet you tried everything here!" Ash said, before stuffing a spoonful of mashed potatoes down his throat.

Dahlia giggled. "Like I said I love food! The noodles are my favorite, but I see you two are also trying everything out?"

"You mean Ash is trying everything out," Misty corrected. "As soon as he heard I was paying he went ballistic."

Ash moved on to the French fries that were next to Pikachu. "You shouldn't have offered my dear, ha ha ha! Pikachu I want some of that ketchup too you know…"

Ash couldn't help but be a bit shocked when the little rodent handed over the bottle without a fuss, but soon realized why. Ash moaned as he shook it and realized it was half empty. "Ewww, Pikachu you licked all over the cap!"

Dahlia giggled again. "Are they always like this?"

Misty sighed and nodded, placing her chin on her hand as she lazily answered the same question she always gets, "All the time, but I love them both so what can you do? They're like my little brothers or something."

The brunette smiled gently, tilting her head to the left a little. "It's nice to see you get along so well, and you've only been married for a year now right? You guys are still just in the newlywed stage! How cute!"

"How long have you and Blake been married, Dahlia?" Misty asked.

"Let's see…" she eagerly slurped more noodles as she thought. "About ten years now."

"Ten years? Wow that's pretty much forever!" Ash said.

Dahlia laughed. "I suppose you're right Ash, but hey that's love right? Besides I wouldn't take back any moment that I have spent with him."

"Ten years is a really long time," Misty remarked. "How do you two keep things together?"

"Well we do have our rough moments," she answered, "But hey everyone does. No one is perfect, and that's why our love is so true."

Misty smiled, trying to imagine her and Ash ten years from now. She looked at Ash, who was busy trying to prevent Pikachu from putting salt on his apple turnover.

She giggled. _Well at least I know dinner will be exciting._

Dahlia interrupted Misty's thoughts, "Say Misty? Have you checked out the places around here yet?"

"We've been to the movies, but that's about it."

"What, you mean you haven't been to the beach yet?" Dahlia laughed again, her brown eyes glistening. "Well, if there's any place you have to go to, it's the museum."

"The museum? Why would we want to go there?" Ash moaned.

"It's for Misty not for you, Ash. Besides Misty strikes me as a very intellectual woman, I think she would like it," Dahlia said, despite hearing Ash scoff in disbelief in front of her.

Misty smiled. "Thanks Dahlia! You know being with Ash, here you have to know how to read enough for two people."

"Hey I read too you know!" Ash protested.

Misty rolled her eyes. "Oh really? When was the last time you read an actual book instead of an issue of Pokemon Monthly magazine?"

"Hmph." Ash folded his arms and turned away. "You just don't appreciate a good story out of Pokemon Monthly."

"Anyways," Dahlia continued with a short giggle, "You would love it there, Misty, they have this entire floor dedicated to water-type pokemon! Everything is painted blue and there are about five fish tanks, and it just smells like salt water every time you go up there. Blake loves it a lot, he says he always feels like he's died and gone to heaven."

"That sounds completely amazing! I can't wait to go! Oh and you can come along with me too, Ash, if your brain can handle it," Misty teased, a smirk spreading on her face.

"Oh very funny, Misty. Just you wait I'll be the most intellectual person there!" Ash remarked.

"Ash, the day you can spell the word intellectual I will seriously get on my knees and kiss your feet," Misty spoke, earning another giggle from Dahlia and Pikachu.

Ash just rolled his eyes and attempted to finish a plate of mashed potatoes.

* * *

Later on in the dead of night, Misty was forcefully awoken. She sharply sat up in bed, breathing heavily, and Ash managed to wake up during the ordeal.

"Misty? Are you ok?" he asked gently.

Misty looked more confused than scared. Her eyebrow arched and she placed a hand on her chin. "It's weird," she said after a few seconds, "I had a dream about Lorelei."

"Lorelei? You mean the elite four member?" Ash asked.

"That's the only Lorelei I know…" Misty answered. "It was a bit scary. She was in trouble, but all I could see around her was snow. Then there were dark figures, surrounding her, and the howl of the wind was too loud for her to hear their footsteps. She tried to scream out, but it was too late. You don't…think she's in trouble do you?"

"No way," Ash said. "It was probably just something you ate giving you a bad dream, trust me it happens to me all the time!"

"Really…" Misty rolled her eyes a little, doubting it was the big bowl of chili she saw Ash eating that would make her have a nightmare. "I guess you're right. It was just a dream, so there's no reason to think about it too much."

"See, now you get it!" he said happily. He patted her on the shoulder. "There's nothing to worry about, honey. It was just a dream, don't let it get to you!"

Misty nodded as she smiled softly. She looked to her husband and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks, sorry I worried you. I'll see you in the morning," she whispered, trying to stifle a yawn from escaping.

"Night, Mist, sweet dreams."

Misty rolled over on her side and tried to fall back to sleep. She wanted to believe Ash, no matter how crazy she thought his theory was, but it was woman's intuition that was prevailing over her husband's views. She couldn't escape the nagging feeling that something was wrong.

* * *

And that's chapter two! With any luck, I'll post the third chapter tomorrow. I've been having a bit of trouble figuring out where to go with this but I'm sure I can figure it out.

Until next time...


	3. Chapter 3: Are You the One?

**Hello everyone! I got a bit bored during my studies so I decided to post another chapter. I'm still working on the fourth chapter so it might be a while before I can post it. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Are You the One?

A young, vibrant woman couldn't help but utter a tired sigh as she walked down the long hallway. She would gaze upon a few of her subordinates as she headed to her destination who greeted her with a friendly bow or hello, however she would only reply with a nod or a grunt. She was different from the other admins of her organization; she was all about action and the ability to show off her power. She knew what she wanted and would be willing to do anything possible in order to get it. Her black rubber boots clicked on the tile floor, her black Chinese- like dress swayed as she walked. Finally reaching the wooden doors, she didn't bother to knock; she walked straight ahead flicking her cape back to silently announce her arrival.

An older man, who was no longer surprised by her abruptness, looked up from his paperwork that was on his desk. He was wearing his trademark red and black attire: a long shirt that was partially colored black on his left side, except for the red insignia patched over his heart, but for the most part it was a brilliant red. This oriental shirt was so long it shrouded most of his dark pants, but they could still be seen when he would cross his legs. He ran his free left hand through his receding red hair as he placed a pen down. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the woman up and down. He couldn't help but show a little sneer as he said, "Well you look tired, although I am not surprised that you're here—I have been expecting you."

The woman nodded, slightly tugging on her red vest. "Well then, Maxie, I suppose you already realize the question I wish to answer. Have you come in contact with the legendary bird Moltres?"

Maxie gathered his papers on his desk and stacked them up neatly. "Straight to the point as always, Kagari. To answer your question: no we have not come into a position to capture it. However, at this point that pokemon is the least of our concern. We have confirmed sightings of Zapdos and Entei. I have sent our top executives to capture them."

Kagari narrowed her eyes. "Zapdos and Entei, huh? You plan to capture them both?"

"You seem a bit disappointed, Kagari," Maxie observed, "Are those legendaries not enough for you?"

"I just didn't expect you to put all your eggs in one basket so soon," Kagari lowered her voice into a low growl, placing a hand on her hip. "I didn't think you had such balls, Maxie."

"Hmph, I have more than enough, however your concerns should be to track down Suicune. Have you found it yet?"

"It is a work in progress unfortunately," Kagari answered, "After all, it is elusive for a reason."

Maxie sat in silence for a few seconds. "I see…well then once you find it we shall make it our top priority. We must get a hold of it before those Team Aqua bastards do." A small smile appeared on the cold woman's face. She sensed her boss's hatred for Archie and Team Aqua with every word he said and she loved it. After all, she was the type of woman that fed on the hatred of others. It was part of her strategy to analyze people by their emotions, especially those that would eventually lead to their downfall.

"Yes, sir, I shall continue the hunt for Suicune. In fact I already have received some reports of it being sighted in the Orange Islands. Once it is confirmed, it is time to go hunting for it."

"Good then. Be sure to update me on your progress. That is all."

With that the conversation was over, with neither getting what they had wanted out of it. Kagari sighed again as she began to walk back the way she came, this time with a quicker step. Truth be told, she had already found Suicune, but unlike her master, the Aurora Pokemon was not her main target. It could wait for a little while, but Kagari knew she had to plan this carefully. After all, she wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away from her fingers again.

* * *

The sun shined brightly on the young woman as she adjusted her straw hat. She smiled as she turned to her husband, her bright orange summer dress flowing with the motion of her body. She loved these moments, the ones where she actually got to have some fun. Being a gym leader was of course never easy, and she had to admit there were times when she barely had a chance to fix her hair, but she loved it nevertheless. Despite that she always wanted to go on an adventure. She would remember fondly those days she spent as a kid with her future husband getting in and out of trouble. Although she would always scold him for his lack of common sense she secretly longed for those moments back.

"Misty are we there yet?" Ash whined from behind her.

Misty sighed. However some moments she could be able to live without. "We're here!" she proudly announced. Ash, Misty, and Pikachu were standing in front of the Sophian Island museum, a large grey building that seemed just like any other, except for the noticeable statue of Lugia on the roof of building. Misty stood under it in awe, staring at its wings that almost seemed to sparkle in the daylight which was overshadowed by its long slender neck and dominating head.

"Hey, you ever notice how Lugia's head sort of looks like an arrowhead?" Misty asked.

"An arrowhead?" Ash repeated. "No, I never thought of it before."

Misty shrugged off the feeling she was getting, as if she was suddenly getting colder. "C'mon, let's go inside! I can't wait to see the water pokemon floor!" She ran into the museum, as if she was a little kid anxious to buy her favorite toy. Ash only laughed to himself and followed, Pikachu faithfully on his shoulder.

Some parts of the museum had really caught Ash's eye, like the small area dedicated to the history of pokemon battles and the small excerpt on the story of a boy who was raised by Pikachu. As they reached the fourth and final floor, the water area, Misty immediately noticed the color change from dull white to light blue.

She squealed with excitement. "Finally!" Without much waiting she ran over to the first thing she saw: a tank filled with four different types of water pokemon. Goldeen and Seaking were swimming carefree along the surface of the water, while Staryu and Starmie were close to the bottom, crawling slowly along the makeshift sand and rocks.

"They're all so cute!" Misty said, clasping her hands together and bouncing in place a little.

Ash laughed again. "Misty, aren't you overreacting a little? You have the same kind of pokemon at home."

Misty turned to Ash and said, "I know, I know, but still sometimes even seeing the same thing in a new place can still feel different. I can't wait to see what else is here!" She began to run off toward a tank of Sharpedo, Ash hardly able to catch up with her.

"They're not going anywhere, you know that right?"

"Oh stop being a smartass, Ketchum," Misty chided. "Don't these Sharpedo look beautiful?"

Ash raised an eyebrow as he stopped to think about that question. He looked at their large and intimidating blue bodies, with their white colored underbellies, their jagged dorsal and pelvic fins, and their sharp teeth. The star-shaped mark on their snouts seemed to be about the only thing interesting about them, at least in Ash's opinion. "If you mean a beautiful disaster, then I might be able to agree with you…"

Misty's eyes flashed for a second as she remembered something. "Oh yeah! I remember you saying you saw these pokemon up close right? Lucky you!"

"I wouldn't call it luck exactly…" Ash began, but not before he was cut off by another voice.

"Seems like the kind of luck I wouldn't wish on anyone," a man said from behind them.

Both Ash and Misty turned around to see a tall man draped in a long green vest. It only had one button, which was fastened near the neck, and under it was a short sleeved light green shirt. The shirt was tucked into dark blue jeans with that had white stripes near the ankles. His white boots seem to sparkle even in the blue light of the water pokemon floor of the museum.

"I'm sorry," he said shyly, "I didn't mean to intrude, I just happened to be passing by when I overheard your conversation…"

"It's okay," Misty said. "I guess saying that Sharpedo are beautiful must be a bit weird to some, but that's how I am when it comes to water pokemon."

The man nodded in understanding. "Unfortunately for me I can't share in your fascination. I had an untoward experience with them and I haven't been able to see them in much of a good way since."

"Really? What happened?" Ash asked, naturally curious.

"Well, I was on a boat in the ocean, when I had sailed into a few by mistake. Unfortunately they weren't really happy to see me." He chuckled slightly.

"You stumbled into their territory…" Misty realized.

"Yes, and as you know Sharpedo are very territorial. It was far too late for me to turn around and the only pokemon I had with me was a Lanturn, which I knew wouldn't be able to last against a large school of Sharpedo."

"So what did you do?" Ash wondered.

"I had sent out Lanturn to use flash, as a way of blinding the beasts, and then sailed away as fast as I could while they were distracted. Of course, I didn't get back home without them nearly tearing into my boat. I had found out later that I really did infringe upon their territory, but the whole experience has left me a bit wary of them," he finished with a tired sigh, his eyes shaking a little at the cage in front of him.

"Well, when you put it that way, I can't blame you for being skeptical of them, but they were only defending their territory and they saw you as a threat. Besides," Misty continued as she turned back to face the cage, "Pokemon, like humans, deserve a second chance to redeem themselves. I bet now that you know more about them you'll be able to give them another opportunity to let them in your heart. After all we can't let our fears control us all the time."

Misty heard the man clear his throat behind her. "I suppose you do have a point there, but although I might be able to forgive these pokemon for what they have done to me forgetting is an entirely different matter altogether. Pokemon on the other hand feel a different way, for they can forget but never forgive the ones who had mistreated them."

The red haired girl turned back around with a confused look upon her face. "Wait a minute I never said I was comparing humans and pokemon!"

"Of course you weren't, after all there are many differences between us and them. However I am merely stating that unlike humans, pokemon are less forgiving."

"That's not really true—"

"So you are saying," the older man interrupted, "That if a group of humans, such as poachers, attacked a group of Sharpedo then they wouldn't lash out against another group of humans who just happened to be passing along their territory?"

"I'm saying that you can't blame an entire species just because you are afraid of a group that was just trying to defend their area!" Misty yelled. This outburst caused the room of innocent tourists to stop and stare at the arguing couple.

"Afraid?" the man repeated, "Yes I suppose you are right, afraid would be a good word to describe it, yes, but it doesn't change the fact that my views are right about pokemon and humans."

"Hating all of those species just because of one incident is just plain stupid! You're not even giving them a chance!" Misty huffed, placing her hands on her hips.

"You think so? You would be the perfect example to explain my theory. It was reported in the papers that you hated bug type pokemon. Tell me, was this hate spawned from the fact of one or multiple incidents?"

Misty inwardly flinched. She had already hated the fact that the media was exposing her secrets but now she had to worry about random strangers reading such information. Now because of that, her entire argument became invalid.

She lost a verbal fight with an unknown stranger. And that infuriated her.

She clinched her fists by her sides, trying to think of a good counterargument. "Why you—"

She stepped forward but Ash stopped her. "Aw, c'mon what's the point of this stupid fight anyway?"

"What?!" Misty bellowed.

"You guys are arguing over some Sharpedo in a tank! They don't care about things like this, only it involves their next meal!"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"You don't get it do you? It's not about the sharks, it's the principle of the matter!" Misty turned to face him, her eyes flashing in anger.

"I believe your husband is right young lady," the old man interrupted once again. "Forgive me, but I can be a bit spirited when it comes to arguments like these. Please accept my apology, young water type trainer…" he reached his right hand out to shake hers, but Misty only folded her arms and sharply turned her head to the left.

"Hmph! The name is Misty."

"Misty why do you have to be so mean all the time?" Ash scowled at his hot-headed wife.

"What? You truly don't get it do you? It was him who's being such a—hey where did he go?" Misty, who had momentarily turned towards Ash to yell at him properly, turned back toward the area where the old man was only to discover that he had disappeared. "What the hell? Who just disappears like that?"

"Aw man, Mist, why'd you have to scare that old guy away? Everyone has their own opinion you know!" Ash had grown tired of seeing his wife's anger and simply sighed in embarrassment. "And you say I'm a kid…" he murmured to himself as he walked away.

Misty narrowed her eyes. "What was that?"

* * *

He had closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He felt at peace once again as he could feel the wind moving around him. After an interesting talk with the esteemed Kanto master's wife, he felt even more certain about his plans. He looked up at the sky and smiled.

"You're coming aren't you?" He spoke to the clouds above him. "I wonder…will she believe you enough to help you?"

Another feel of the wind was the response.

* * *

"Say Ash, you want to hear a story?" Misty asked. She and Ash were walking along the boardwalk, right by the sands of the ocean, on a crisp clear night. Misty had taken off her shoes and walked on the sand next to the walkway, while Ash was walking on the wooden platform, holding a sleeping Pikachu in his arms.

"You make it sound like I'm eight again, Misty," Ash laughed.

"Aw, come on Ashy, have a little fun with me," she giggled and spun around in a circle, kicking up dust around her. Ash turned to her and smiled. He loved it when she was like this, the childish side that she would only show to him.

"Fine, fine," he replied, "Tell me a bedtime story mother Misty."

"Okay!" she chirped. "Well, once upon a time, there was a young girl who saved the world."

"Well that wasn't very entertaining…." Ash remarked.

"I wasn't done yet, smartass," Misty closed her eyes then continued, "You see, this girl had a very special power: she could talk to pokemon. She couldn't understand their words, but she could feel their emotions, and she created a bond with them. Then one day, evil had struck her land, and everything and everyone she knew was in danger. She wanted to save them, so she had sacrificed herself to save her friends and family. The people and pokemon mourned for her death, but some say that her spirit continues to watch over those that she had cared for. People even say that once she died, she became a guardian angel that watched over her descendants and those in trouble."

"A guardian angel? That's cool! Did she get a cool pokemon too?" Ash asked.

"Oh, aren't you witty today," Misty noticed, rolling her eyes in the process.

"Hey, it would have been cool if she got a pokemon, like a Growlithe or something…but why did you tell me that anyway?"

Misty looked down at the sand that was lit up a little by the street lights. "My mom used to tell it to me. She said whenever you're in trouble, your guardian angel will always watch over you…"

"Oh," Ash nodded, realization flowing through him. "I'm sorry, Mist, I didn't know…I didn't mean to—"

"It's alright," Misty looked back up with a smile as she spoke to him, "To be honest I never really believed it anyway, but I just thought it would be fun to tell."

Ash smiled back. "I didn't know you still remembered things about your mother, but that was kind of a sweet story."

"Of course, after all it was told by my mother!" Misty remarked her hands on her hips. "Hey, you want to hear another story?"

"What's it about?" Ash asked.

"It's about…how I beat you back to the hotel room!" At this the red haired woman took off like a little rocket, leaving her husband yelling behind and chasing after her.

* * *

"Misty….Misty….Misty….!"

"Uhhh…wha—? What's going on?" Misty whispered to herself. She looked around to find herself in a meadow, and in that instant something told her she was home. She walked slowly, surveying the area, noticing the calls for her name getting louder and louder.

"Hello? Who's calling my name? Who are you?" Misty couldn't help but wonder to herself that the voice seemed familiar…

"Misty, you got to hurry!"

Misty looked around again for the source of the voice, her eyebrows etched in confusion. "Hurry to where? What are you talking about?" she yelled back.

"Misty hurry!" And with that, the peaceful meadow of daffodils became enshrouded in a thick mist.

"Oh great," Misty whispered. She listened quietly for the voice again but she couldn't hear it. Come to think of it, it became too quiet all of a sudden. Fearing a bit for her safety, she broke off into a run. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew if she just kept running straight ahead she would eventually run into something. Right?

"Where did that voice go? I can't hear it anywhere!" She strained her hearing, but all she could focus on was her own footsteps on the grass. Suddenly, without much warning, she found herself falling towards the hard cold ground. Sitting up with a groan, she froze at the spectacle in front of her. A large, and gorgeous, white tower. It almost seemed like something from a fairy tale, besides the fact that she couldn't see the top. Was it because of the fog or the height of the magnificent wonder in front of her?

Just when she thought she was frozen by the sight before her she heard a familiar voice, and turned around…

"Morning sweetheart!"

"Ash?!" Misty groggily opened her eyes.

"Duh, who else would it be?" Ash replied.

Misty sat up in the bed, processing the dream she just had. It was all just a dream…

* * *

**Anyone who can guess the character that Kagari is based on gets a 1000 brownie points! It might be hard though, her manga appearance wasn't that strong...**

**Until next time...**


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